1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to a method and apparatus for cleaning and surface conditioning fluid handling devices and in particular to a method and apparatus for cleaning and surface conditioning portions of fluid handling devices using plasma.
2. Description of the Related Art
In certain clinical, industrial and life science testing laboratories, extremely small quantities of fluids, for example, volumes between a drop (about 25 micro-liters) and a few nano-liters may need to be analyzed. Several known methods are employed to transfer these small amounts of liquid compounds from a source to a testing device. Generally, liquid is aspirated from a fluid holding device into a fluid handling device. The fluid handling device may include, but is not limited to, a probe, cannula, disposable pipette, pin tool or other similar component or plurality of such components (hereinafter collectively referred to as “probes”). The fluid handling device and its probes may move, manually, automatically or robotically, dispensing the aspirated liquid into another fluid holding device for testing purposes.
Commonly, the probes, unless disposable, are reused from one test to the next. As a result, at least the tips of the probes must be cleaned between each test. Conventionally, the probes undergo a wet “tip wash” process. That is, they are cleaned in between uses with a liquid solvent, such as Dimethyl Sulfoxide (DMSO) or simply water.
These methods and apparatus for cleaning and conditioning fluid handling devices have certain disadvantages. For example, the wet “tip wash” process takes a relatively long time and can be ineffective in cleaning the probe tips to suitable levels of cleanliness. Furthermore, disposing the used solvents from the wet process presents a challenge. Thus, there is a need for improved methods and apparatus for cleaning and surface conditioning fluid handling devices.